Category Archives: DX

DXCC Update: 210 Confirmed, 870 Challenge Points

Posted on August 10, 2014 by robert

I dropped off a number of QSL cards that confirmed new countries, or band/mode contacts to the card checkers during the Centennial Convention.  While it took under 5 minutes at the Convention, the Online Application still needed to be processed … Continue reading →

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Bye Bye Solar Cycle 24 ?!?

Posted on July 16, 2014 by robert

Sad but true, as of today, July 16, 2014, the sun is spotless.  The last time that happened was on August 11, 2011.  SolarHam.com even compared the spotless sun to an orange today! You can clearly see the double peak … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Mode, DX, Operating, Propagation | Leave a comment

When it rains it pours?

Posted on April 15, 2014 by robert

Man its a wet spring with more rain on the way (16+” year-to-date), but I’m not talking about the weather — I’m talking about DXCC Confirmations. Today I finally broke the 200 mark in LotW, with confirmations for QSOs from … Continue reading →

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Mellish Reef DXpedition and DX Summary

Posted on April 7, 2014 by robert

I was very fortunate to work Mellish Reef on 20 Meter CW around 0800Z April 4th.  While there was some discussion about them abandoning the reef due to very bad weather, they were still plugging away.  Propagation charts indicated that … Continue reading →

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Senegal QSL boosts 80m Count to 79

Posted on February 3, 2014 by robert

I received a beautiful QSL from 6V7S, Vlad, in Senegal West Africa today.  I had worked Vlad on 80/40/30/20/15/10 meters (on SSB/CW/RTTY).  This boosts my 80 meter count to 79 confirmed countries, so I need 21 more to complete my … Continue reading →

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Success with Amsterdam Island, FT5ZM

Posted on February 3, 2014 by robert

I’m a bit late in posting this, but I was lucky enough to work FT5ZM about 18 hours after they went on the air.  Since the path from New England is right through the heart of Europe, breaking through is … Continue reading →

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Les, KL7J, Comes Through in a Big Way on 80 Meters

Posted on January 26, 2014 by robert

My journey to 5BWAS ended at 1050 UTC (5:50 AM Local Time) Jan 26, 2014, when Les Buchholz sent CQ on 3.577.269 MHz.  Six minutes later, signal levels of -14 and -16 were exchanged and confirmed, and 73 send round … Continue reading →

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Algeria Brings DXCC to 200

Posted on January 24, 2014 by robert

With the receipt of a QSL from 7X5QB in Algeria, my DXCC count reached 200 today.  A friend of mine, K1SEA, had suggested I quit being lazy and start sending out QSLs.  He was right.  About three weeks after sending … Continue reading →

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Happy Standard Time Day

Posted on November 3, 2013 by robert

Perhaps as a consolation prize on the day that we fall back to Standard Time and lose an hour of light at night, a LotW confirmation arrived for a Samoa QSO.  This makes for the following: DXCC:  40/20/15/10, with 25 … Continue reading →

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Solar Excellence

Posted on October 27, 2013 by robert

The Sun has been seething this past week, with SFI and SN > 170.  10m has been open quite a bit.  The K and A factors have been low, so conditions have been great except for times immediately after some … Continue reading →

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